


Arcane Attractions

by Onslaught14



Category: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Genre: College of Winterhold - Freeform, M/M, Magic, Romance, Skyrim - Freeform, Winterhold
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2012-11-20
Updated: 2012-11-20
Packaged: 2017-11-19 03:26:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/568561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onslaught14/pseuds/Onslaught14
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A story about a unique boy who travels from his home in High Rock to learn and master magic at the prestigious College of Winterhold in Skyrim. He had always had an attraction to the Arcane arts, but soon he'll find himself attracted to something else. Or rather, someone else.</p><p>(Few things to mention: OC is not the Dragonborn, nor will the Dragonborn be showing up in the story. However, this story will (for the most part) follow the story of the College of Winterhold's quest line. Also, this story is going to take it slow in getting to the romance. I want to give the relationship a more realistic feeling.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. A College and a Carriage Ride

It was cold. It was so very cold. The bitter winter breeze chilled the boy to the bone. He was going to have to get used to winters in Skyrim. This was especially true since he was going to be staying in the northern most part of Skyrim for a while. He was headed for the city of Winterhold, a once great capital of the Nord province. It rivaled even Solitude, one of the province's oldest cities, in prestige. However, some terrible event had apparently left the town a shell of its former self. The boy did not hail from Skyrim, so his knowledge on its history was rather lacking. He was from High Rock, home of the Bretons. It was his home since birth, and leaving it was hard for him, especially at such a young age. He was only 17 years old, but from a young child, he knew what his true calling was. The arcane arts. His prowess as a wielder of magic was impressive, even by the high standards of the Bretons. Their abilities in spell craft were legendary.

Now, the boy wasn't exactly a prodigy among his people, but it was clear that he was gifted for his age. Magic had always come to him naturally, and he absorbed arcane knowledge like a sponge. He spent most of his childhood with his nose in a book, learning not just spells, but of the history behind them as well. Anything having a hint of arcane history to it interested him, and he'd read from dusk til dawn on the many subjects of magic. Though his knowledge of the mystic was great, his days of reading indoors left him very lacking in social skills. He was shy, and a little awkward in a conversation. His librarian life style hadn't done much for his physique either. He was scrawny and rather short, making him look a few years younger than he actually was. Despite these aspects of his person, he was very kind and gentle. His voice was light and soft, and his eyes where bright and caring. He had most likely received such a personality from his father, who was similar in nature.

The boy shivered in the cold, rocking a bit from the carriage's bumpy stride down the old stone road. Skyrim was an ancient place in many aspects. Old tombs and fortresses lined its wilderness, making it an ideal place to explore. It was, at least, for those who liked excitement and adventure. Though his magic prowess was great, the boy was not adventurer material. He chuckled to himself as he thought about what he'd look like as a warrior. The image of his scrawny frame clad with leather and iron made him shake his head and giggle. He turned and looked to the person driving the carriage. The man was an old Nord. He was kind enough to give the boy a ride, despite the boy's "appearance", and just happened to be headed towards Winterhold. The boy had told him he was headed there to study at the College of Winterhold. The College was an ancient mage's guild of sorts, though it was more like a school than a guild. The boy was reluctant to speak about his destination, since the few other people he had asked to travel with had shunned him away at the mention of the College. The Nords of Skyrim where a warrior's race, some often shying from magic and its associations. The boy was lucky to find someone who didn't judge him for his studies. It was a down right miracle that said person was headed toward Winterhold as well. The last thing he needed was to be dropped off in the middle of Skyrim with no way to get to his destination.

"I hope ya don't take offense lad, but mind tellin' me yer story?" the old Nord said aloud, snapping the boy out of his thoughts. "m-My story?" he asked. "Like wat yer heritage?" the Nord explained. The boy fidgeted for a second, and sighed. He knew this was coming. He had expected people to stare and whisper about him when he walked by. They had throughout his entire journey up here. They had his entire life. You see, the boy was raised by his mother, who was a Breton, and was brought up like one. His father had died when he was younger, though not too young to not remember the man. He was a kind person, very friendly and a genuinely good father. However, his father and mother's love was of a rare kind. It was not often someone from a human race like the Breton’s bore a child with the Reptilian race of Black Marsh. "Ya said ya was from High Rock, right? Ya don look like much of a Breton though. Again, not trying to offend ya lad, just curious." The old Nord spoke. "I'm half. Half Breton, on my mother's side." the boy explained. "And yer father?" the Nord continued. The boy paused for a second. Looking down, he stuttered out, "a-Ar-Argonian". The old Nord paused, and took a quick look back at his passenger. Though the boy's face was now covered by the hood of his thick fur cloak, he had remembered the boy's face back when he met him in Whiterun. The city was located further south, so the warmer weather didn't merit the boy wearing his hood up. The old Nord remembered the young lad's appearance.

The Half-Argonian's skin was a grayish-blue, with patches of grey, almost silver scales popping up all over. At first glance, the scales appeared to randomly pop up on his skin, much like acne. However, upon closer inspection, it could be seen that they grew in an organized fashion, much like a regular Argonian. Though the boy didn't have nearly as many scales as a full blooded Argonian would have had. Despite his skin difference, the boy had a young, human looking face. One could say he was even "baby faced". His hair was a blue-silver color, and was a little shaggy, barley going down to his shoulders. His nose looked normal, if not a little pointed. His mouth looked normal too, however, the boys teeth where pointed and sharp looking, like a natural Argonian. His bangs hung in his face a bit, but it was hard to miss his big eyes. They were bright red and shined with a youth the old Nord hadn't seen in years. All in all, he was a handsome lad. The boy's hands looked fairly normal, other then the skin tone, and long, pointed black nails on each finger, almost like claws. Though his feet were hidden inside a pair of leather boots, the Nord imagined they were similar case to the hands. However, the boy's most distinct feature was a long, lizard like tail protruding out the back of his trousers. Though all Argonian's had these tails, it looked almost out of place on the mostly human looking youth.

The old Nord could see shame in the boy's expression. Obviously he had been through hardship due to his appearance in the past. The Nord felt a tad guilty for bringing his appearance up, not realizing at the time that it was a tender subject for the boy. The boy felt an old, but strong hand rest on his shoulder, and looked up at the driver. He was smiling lightly and looked directly into the boys eyes. "Ya should be proud of yer heritage. Ya may not be Skyrim born, but heritage is something we hold dear in dees parts." the Nord said with a strong sense of pride in his voice. A smile crept on the boy's face as he nodded. "You've indulged an ol' Nord in conversation, so I'll leave to yer thought's lad." The old nord then shifted his eyes back to the road. The boy staired at the Nord for a few seconds before looking out at the the land around him. Though Skyrim had always been described as a harsh and difficult place to live, one could not deny the beauty that the snowy, mountainous terrain displayed in its landscape. The scenery was almost breathe taking, and the boy continued to stair to for a while. However, his thought's eventually returned to home.

His mother, though concerned for his well being, was supportive when he told her of his desire to study at the College of Winterhold. The dangerous land of Skyrim was not the ideal place for her beloved son to perfect the arcane arts. However, the excitement in his eyes told her that this was something no force in Tamreil was going to stop him from doing. It was true, he was very excited about it. He had heard of the College before, but was utterly surprised when a letter, requesting his attendance there, had arrived at his home. He knew he could learn to put his abilities to good use with the College's help. He would make his mother and father proud. All his life he was either shunned for his appearance, or left alone due to his own shut-in ways. Now, he had a chance to make something of his life.

"We're almost der lad, just up the road is Winterhold. Ya can see the College from here too." said the old Nord, interrupting the boy's thoughts again. The boy looked forward to see a massive stone bridge leading to a large, palace like structure. That was the College of Winterhold?! His jaw almost dropped. He expected it to be a large building, but this place could have been mistaken for a fortress! It was safe to say, he was impressed, if not a tad intimidated by the large stone structure. As they drew closer to the city, (if you could really call it that) he wasn't as nearly impressed. In fact, he almost didn't think he was in Winterhold yet. He knew some catastrophe had devastated the town some years ago, but he expected to see more than just a small cluster of wooden buildings. All the town had was a few houses, an Inn, a smith, a lumber shack, and the Jarl's manor. He never knew what "Jarl" meant, but he knew that it was a position of power similar to a duke, and were that they governed the nine holds of Skyrim. Each major city had one. As he looked around, he could see few guards roaming the streets on duty. Other than that however,the place looked almost a ghost town. Not what he was expecting, but he wasn't there as a tourist, so he didn't let the dreary scenery get to him too much.

"Here we are." said the old Nord driver. The boy nodded and offered some coin for the ride, holding out a small handful of septins. "Nah, no need to pay me, lad. Company be a rare treat for an old carriage driver like meself. Often just me, and the horse. The company ya gave me is payment enough." he said, waving his hand away at the boys outstretched palm. He smiled kindly at the youth. The boy looked at the few septims in his hand and then back at the old Nord, almost to ask "Are you sure?", but the smile on the driver's face was enough to tell the boy that it was fine. The youth returned the septims to his coin purse, and collected his things. The boy thanked the driver, before hopping out of the carriage. He turned, about to head up the road to the College. He was stopped however, by the voice of the driver. "Aye, lad. I never got yer name." he said to the boy. He turned and smiled. "Dimitri. Dimitri Jezkar." he replied.


	2. Over The Bridge

The snowy winds slowed Dimitri's stride as he walked through the town, approaching the stone bridge. Though he was half Argonian, a cold blooded race, his Breton side left him warm blooded. This, however, didn't stop him from shivering. He really needed to get used to this weather, or it'd be the death of him, he thought to himself. As he walked through the town, he couldn't help but feel as if he was being glared at. He dismissed the feeling however, writing it off as simple nervousness. He quickened his pace, mainly to get out of the cold. He made it to the bridge, and began to ascend up the stone ramp, only to be stopped at the top by a female High Elf. She was rather short for an Altemer, but her golden skin had an beautiful, almost unearthly glow to it, even in the cloudy fog of the snow. Her hair was dark red, and was pulled back, tied into a pair of short pony tails. She was dressed only in robe like outfit, most likely the common apparel for College officials.

Dimitri was about to greet her, but was cut off by a harsh warning. "Cross the bridge at your own peril. The way is dangerous and the gates will not open. You will not gain entry!" she said in a stern voice. Dimitri stepped back, startled by the woman's cold disposition. He didn't know what to say. Wasn't he invited to come here? The poor boy was confused, but was called back to attention by the golden skinned woman. "Why have you come here?" she asked, her icy voice remaining intact. Dimitri remained silent for a moment, wanting to say his words carefully. This woman seemed the kind to strike a man down with furious vengeance if spoken to the wrong way. "Well?!" the woman said with increased sternness. "i-i-I was in-invited here! b-By Archmage Savos!" he stuttered out, quickly pulling out the letter he had received from the college. The Altemer woman narrowed her gaze at him, making the boy's worried face worsen, as he shakily held out the letter to her. She quickly snatched it from him, causing him to flinch, as she read the letter quickly. After a few minutes, She looked back at the boy, her gaze not quite as harsh.

"My apologies, Mr. Jezkar. I'm used to dealing with childish idiots who think that, just because they can shoot a few measly sparks from their hands, that they some divine right to enter the College. However, this letter makes both our lives a little easier. With it, I can drop the "cold hearten guard" act, and you won't have to demonstrate you're magical prowess like common initiates." She explained in a far friendlier tone. She sounded almost relieved. Her change in demeanor relaxed Dimitri somewhat, but her words still confused him. "Um...what’s this about a demonstration?" he asked meekly. She sighed and responded. "Those seeking entry into the College must demonstrate at least a small grasp of their desired field of magic. Whether this be Destruction, Restoration, Alteration, etc. Upon completion of the demonstration, said initiate would have proven their worthiness to learn the arcane secrets the College of Winterhold has to offer. However, since Archmage Savos has invited you personally, you are exempt from having to-", "I want to provide a demonstration", Dimitri interrupted.

The High Elf paused for a moment. "That is not necessary, this letter is proof enough of your worthiness." the woman explained again. Dimitri simply smiled. "I came here to prove my worth as a mage, and I will not do so by letting a piece of paper speak for my abilities. Nor will I let that piece of paper give me special treatment over those who desire to learn just as much as I do. Now, like I said, I wish to give a demonstration like the other initiates." he replied. The Altemer was shocked. "Where did that come from?" she thought to herself. She was surprised by the boy and his quick change in attitude. Moments ago she had him trembling in fear (not intentionally of course). Now there was such confidence coming from him. The High Elf smiled, impressed by the boys noble request.

"Very well. All I need is for you to cast a spell upon the platform behind me. Try to keep it apprentice level. We don't want you blowing up half the bridge." She explained, as the moved out of the way. Dimitri looked down at the platform. On it was a strange symbol with an eye in the center of it, most likely the symbol for the College itself, carved into the stone. He closed his eyes and took a deep breathe, raising his arm and pointing it at the platform. A few seconds later, a torrent of flames shot from the boys hands. The flames only lasted for a few seconds, before vanishing suddenly. However, it was clearly enough to satisfy the enchanted platform, as the carvings began to glow. The High Elf gave a small clap, as she walked past the boy, the gate swinging open upon her approach. "Very impressive. You'll make a fine addition to the College." she complimented.

Dimitri blushed and rubbed the back of his head modestly. "R-Really? Thank you." he said sheepishly to the Elf. She chuckled a bit at the boy’s transition back into the timid figure that had first appeared before her. "If you'll follow me." she gestured as she continued up the bridge. Dimitri quickly scrambled to catch up to her, causing her to chuckle again. "For a mage worthy of the Archmage's signature, he's a pretty cute kid." she thought. They eventually reached the end of the bridge, where she stopped, holding her hand out to stop Dimitri as well. In front of them was a well-like structure, of unknown function. Well, to the boy at least. Without a word, the High Elf shot a flash of light from her hand into the well. Suddenly a beam of light shot from the well, almost like a beacon. The snowflakes shimmered as the fell past the light.

The Altemer then turned to the young mage. "Welcome to the College of Winterhold, apprentice. Go inside and find Mirabelle Ervine. She's usually reading in the court yard, but if not, I'm sure some of your fellow apprentices can show you to her. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must return to my duties." the Altemer said. Dimitri nodded and began to walk past her, only to turn back to her. "Oh! I forgot to ask for your name!" "Farlada" she answered with a smile. "Pleasure to meet you." Dimitri said kindly. "And you as well" the High Elf replied, walking back down the bridge. Dimitri watched the woman for a few seconds, before turning to enter the College grounds. He had finally made it. After about a week of travel, Dimitri Jezkar had made it to the College of Winterhold.

The Courtyard was rather large. Stone walkways were lined around its outer area, wrapping in a circle to match the structure of the building. Each path led to wooden doors, sectioning off the many different areas of the College. In the center was a larger version of the "magic well", the beam of light beaming from it stretched far into the cloudy sky. A statue of a robed figure stood over the well. It expression and position of it's arms made it seem like it was summoning the beacon of light itself. Besides the bitter cold and abundance of falling snow, it was a rather lovely courtyard. Dimitri eye's searched around, looking for the woman Farlada mentioned. He hoped he didn't have to go searching for her. He wanted to get settled down before he was forced into the awkward task of social interaction. He was never good at asking others for assistance. Not because he was a stubborn or Narcissistic, but because he was just downright shy. He loved magic, but he often blamed its seductive ways, and it's addictive tomes, for his shut-in lifestyle. This being what lead to his lack of social skills and general awkwardness. Luckily for him, his eyes fell upon a tall Breton woman, standing near the well, reading a book, despite the heavy snowfall. That must have been Mirabelle.

"Um...excuse me?" Dimitri asked timidly. The woman looked up from her tome, before turning to the shorter boy. "May I help you?" She asked, though her voice was professional, unlike the icy tone Farlada gave him upon first meeting. "Uh, Farlada said to come find you. I-I'm Dimitri Jezkar." he said, introducing himself in a nervous stutter. "Ah! Mr. Jezkar, you've finally arrived. I hope your journey here wasn't to hazardous." the women greeted in a friendly tone. "It was fine. Besides the cold weather, my trip up here was rather nice." he replied. It was true, his journey to the College was rather problem free. Besides the short stop in Whiterun, and a little trouble finding a ride, he had easily made it to his destination. "Well here, you can change into these." she said, handing him some garbs similar to her own. "These robes will show your affiliation with the College of Winterhold, and are charmed to keep you warm." Dimitri took the clothing into his hands. They were comfortably warm to the touch, and were sure to help him adapt to Skyrim's brutal weather. "Now, if you'll follow me, I'll give you a quick tour of the College."

The tour was rather uneventful. Not to say it was impressive, but it was nothing Dimitri hadn't seen in the local Mages Guild back in High Rock. Magic was a large part of the culture back home, so an individual Guild looked like a royal estate. The College was similar to this, only on a larger scale. The College was more palace like than a royal estate, giving it a more "ancient" respect. Eventually, he was shown to the Hall of Attainment, where he was given his quarters, and a chance to unpack his things. The room was rather nice. It was small, but far from cramped. It had a cozy feeling to it. It had a rather large bed, (or large for the small mage.), a pair of bedside dressers, as well as a wardrobe. A bookshelf, littered with plenty of reading material already, lined the opposite wall. A long, iron chest rested in the corner next to the bookshelf. It didn't take long for Dimitri to unpack. He hadn't brought a whole lot in the first place. A few empty journals, some clothes, alchemy equipment, his father's old ebony dagger (on his mother's insistence) and a framed picture of his family. With everything put away, he quickly changed into his Apprentice robes. The warming enchantment immediately took effect. He was pleased to find the feeling returning to his fingers and toes. As soon as he was finished, he walked out of the room, greeted by Mirabelle.

"All settled in?" she asked him. He simply nodded, as Mirabelle looked at his clothes. "Those look rather good on you, I must say. I'm sure you'll become accustomed to the uniform in no time" She commented. "If you’re ready, I'll show you to your first class." she added as she turned to leave the Hall. "Already?" Dimitri thought to himself. He was eager to get started, but he hadn't arrived even an hour ago. What ever the case, he proceeded to follow Mirabelle out the door, through the courtyard, and to a pair of large doors. "This is the Hall of Elements. Most of your classes and practice sessions will be held here. Follow me and I'll introduce you to your teacher." Mirabelle explained. Opening the door, Dimitri followed her in, ready to take his first lesson at the College. He was scared, but ready.


	3. Wards and the Nord

Dimitri had entered the Hall of Elements, following Mirabelle. He could hear a discussion from inside. Apparently the class had already started. "Um...Mirabelle?" Dimitri asked. "Yes?" "Am I late to class? It seems they've already begun" Dimitri asked worriedly. "Oh no, that's just Tolfdir for you. He tends to lecture quite often, even before class. Don't worry, you're fine Mr. Jezkar." She assured the boy. Dimitri nodded, accepting her answer. Mirabelle opened the gate to the main Hall, stopping beside it. "Now go meet up with your class. I'm sure you're eager to start." She said, motioning him to enter. Dimitri nodded, turning to enter the hall. He heard her say "good luck" as he approached the center of the chamber. He was met with a small group being instructed. Three of them were dressed in robes like his, most likely other students. There was a female Dunmer, with dark gray skin and crimson eyes. Next to her stood a male Khajiit, with snowy white fur. While Khajiit's were more renowned for their stealth, it wasn't unheard to find them practicing the field of magic. However, what surprised Dimitri, was the Nord, standing a good few inches over the other students, and a good foot over Dimitri. He didn't expect a Nord to be here, seeing they were a warriors race. In fact, a lot of Nords looked down on magic. The three of them were wearing hoods, so he couldn't make out their faces very well. He then turned to the old man teaching the class. That must have been Tolfdir. He too was a Nord, but in his old age, and with the fact he was instructing the class, it was a little easier to imagine him being at the college.

As Dimitri walked up, the other students only gave him a quick glance. The Khajiit did a double take, most likely due to Dimitri's appearance. Dimitri found it ironic that a cat person was the first to give him a weird look on his own appearance. However, Dimitri paid him no mind, and was soon greeted by an old but energetic voice. "Welcome! Welcome! We were just beginning. Please, stay and listen." Tolfdir said happily. He then returned his attention to the entire group. "So, as I was saying, the first thing to understand is this. Magic, by its very nature, is volatile and dangerous. Unless you can learn to control it, it can and will destroy you." Tolfdir explained. Dimitri was taken aback by that statement. He personally had mainly practiced in Restoration and Alteration magic. He was skilled in the other fields, but those were where he shined. Toldfir's lecture had actually frightened Dimitri. Magic had always come to him naturally, and he always practiced safely. The repercussions it could cause through careless were foreign to him. But before he could continue his thoughts, the Dunmer female spoke up.

"Sir, I think we all understand that pretty well. We wouldn't be here if we couldn't control magic." the girl spoke sternly. Dimitri was a bit shocked by her boldness. Could they even address a professor of the College in such a manner? However, Tolfdir seemed to take it in stride. "Of course my dear, of course. You all possess some sort of inherent natural ability. That much is not being questioned. What I am talking about is true control. Mastery of magic takes years, if not decades, of practice and study." Tolfdir said calmly. Then the Khajiit spoke up. "Then what are we waiting for? Let’s get started!" he said coldly, but with eagerness. Dimitri shook his head. That eagerness to jump into magic is what gets people killed! Apparently Tolfdir agreed with him. The old man addressed the feline. "Please! Please! This is exactly what I'm talking about! Eagerness must be tempered with caution, or else disaster is inevitable!" Tolfdir explained. But just like the other two, now the Nord spoke. "But we've only just arrived here. You have no idea what any of us are capable of. Why not give us a chance to show you what we can do?" the Nord said. However, Dimitri didn't find his demeanor disrespectful, like with the others.

Instead he found the Nord's words saddened, as if wanting something. He felt a sense similarity with the Nord. It must have been hard for the man, growing up around people who didn't support his interests, maybe even mocking him for it. Though Dimitri was treated as such for different reasons growing up, he felt a small kinship with the Nord never the less. However, there was something else. Something he couldn't quite put his finger on. It had to do with the Nords words. They made Dimitri nervous. The Nord hadn't said anything to merit these feelings. He simply wished to demonstrate his prowess as a mage. However it was the strength of those words, the voice that carried them, that made Dimitri feel...strange. Before he could think on it more Tolfdir began to address him. "You've been quite so far, what do you think we should do?" Tolfdir asked him. Dimitri jerked up at attention, not expecting to be put on the spot like that. He turned nervously to the other students.

He had always been one to practice safe magic. He'd never practice dangerous spells, like Destruction, or Conjuring, around others. He'd go out into the forest near his home for such things. He didn't condone the other's over eager demeanor's towards the subject. However, his shyness and fear of rejection over clouded his better judgment. He tried to say what he believed, but the other's intimidation broke him quickly. Dimitri looked down, embarrassed and ashamed of himself. How could he be a great Wizard if his opinion could be wavered by a simple icy glare? Then Tolfdir spoke again. "Alright then, lets settle down. I suppose we could try something practical." he said, stepping forward a bit. "In continuing with our theme of safety, we'll start with wards. Wards are protective spells that block magic. I'll teach you all a ward and we'll see if you can successfully block spells. Alright?" Toldfir explained. Dimitri perked up at the mention of wards. Those fell into the category of Restoration, which he was very skilled in. Tolfdir turned to him, a warm, old smile shown on his face.

"Would you mind helping me with a demonstration?" Tolfdir asked kindly. Dimitri became nervous again. "M-Me?" he stuttered out. "Of course! Now, are you familiar with any ward spells?" Toldfir asked. Dimitri nodded, as he was very skilled with them. In fact, they were one of the first spells he ever practiced as a child (upon his parent’s insistence mostly) and he had mastered them quickly. "Splendid! I'll cast a spell at you, and you block it with the ward. Let's go." Tolfdir said, backing up. The other students moved away as well. "Over there please," Tolfdir instructed, pointing behind him. "Out of the range of the spell. We wouldn't want anyone in the way, now would we?" The other's moved away farther as Tolfdir turned to face Dimitri. He was a bit nervous. He was skilled with a ward, that was certain. What wasn't certain was which spell Tolfdir would use, or how strong. Surely he'd use a weaker spell on a student, right? Still Dimitri wasn't comfortable being in this situation. Maybe he wasn't cut out for this? Maybe he should just pack up and go...NO! No! He came here for a reason, and by the Eight Divines he was going to see it through!

With a small boost of confidence, Dimitri prepared himself for the demonstration. "Now cast the ward spell, and keep it up!" Tolfdir instructed. Dimitri nodded and with a snap of his fingers, was enveloped by a bubble of energy. As soon as the ward was up, Tolfdir shot a quick bolt of fire from his hand. It shot straight at Dimitri, but was quickly absorbed and vanished into to the ward. Tolfdir smiled, "Very good! Wonderful job!" he said as he congratulated Dimitri. He dismissed the spell and smiled shyly toward his teacher. "Thank you, sir." he said timidly. Toldfir nodded and turned to the others. "Now that you've seen a ward in action, I want you to spend some time practicing amongst yourselves." Tolfdir instructed. "I will return with our next lesson in a few hours. Now, remember to keep safe, and I'll see you all in a while." He finished, leaving his students to their assignment.

Dimitri watched Tolfdir leave, then turned back to his other students. The Dunmer and Khajiit had gone off to the corner of the hall to practice together. Dimitri watched them for a few seconds, unaware to the Nord approaching from behind. "That was pretty good job you did." Dimitri heard a strong voice from behind say. He quickly turned around, only to be greeted by the tall Nord apprentice. "O-oh, thank you." Dimitri nodded shyly. The Nord chuckled a bit. "You seem tense." he said looking over at the other two students. He then leaned down to Dimitri and whispered, "Don't let those two get to you; the Dunmer is just a bit wound up, but she seems alright. of stick's in the mud. The Khajiit has an ego bigger the size of oblivion, so you'd do best to just ignore him." Dimitri chuckled nervously, mostly due to the Nords close proximity to his face. At that moment, Dimitri could see under the hood, and make out the Nord's face.

His face was common to that of a young Nords. It had a strong, masculine look to it, like most Nords had, but there was a sense of kindness Dimitri could see in it. It reminded him of the old Nord that gave him a ride to Winterhold. The Nord had bright blue eyes that could be seen even under the shade of his hood. The few tinges of hair Dimitri could see, hanging out from under the hood, showed that his hair was a dark auburn color. Dimitri blushed even more, finding the man rather handsome. Before he could continue his observation, the Nord leaned back up, returning to his towering position over the boy. "Anyway, I was wondering if you could help me practice with the wards. I've never been good at Resoration in the past, and you seemed very skilled on the subject, if you don't mind me saying." The Nord asked kindly. Dimitri smiled warmly, but his nervous feelings seeped into his expression, and nodded. "Oh no, it's fine! I-I can teach you." He answered. The Nord smiled and patted Dimitri on the back. "Great! Let's get started shall we!" he said happily. Dimitri nodded again, rubbing his back a bit. Although the Nords pat was simply a friendly gesture, on Dimitri's small frame, it hurt a little. He looked up to the Nord with a warm expression. What was making him feel this way? What about this Nord make him feel so comfortable, yet so nervous? Dimitri couldn't answer these questions. "By the way, I'm Onmund." the Nord said. Dimitri looked up "Oh, I-I'm Dimitri." he responded meekly, his blush still showing on his face.


End file.
